Courage Under Fire (1996)
79%RT Audience Score: 66%
Awards & Nominations: 9 wins & 7 nominations
An emotional and intriguing tale of a military officer who must review the merits of a fallen officer while confronting his own war demons. Effectively depicts the terrors of war as well as its heartbreaking aftermath
Courage Under Fire is a military drama that will have you on the edge of your seat. Denzel Washington gives a powerful performance as a commander who must investigate the death of a female helicopter pilot. Meg Ryan also surprises with her role as a wounded soldier. The film is well-crafted and has plenty of surprises, but be warned, there is plenty of violence and swearing. Overall, it’s a solid and honorable movie that treats its subject with clarity and intelligence.
Production Company(ies)
Wildbear Entertainment, National Geographic
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Release Type
Theatrical
Filming Location(s)
National Training Center, Fort Irwin, California, USA
MPAA / Certificate
Rated R for war violence and language
Year of Release
1996
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Color:Color
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Sound mix:Dolby Digital
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Aspect ratio:1.85 : 1
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Runtime:1h 55m
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Language(s):English, Arabic
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Country of origin:United States
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Release date:Release Date (Theaters): Jul 12, 1996 Original
Release Date (Streaming): Dec 26, 2000
Genre(s)
Action/Drama
Keyword(s)
Worldwide gross: $100,860,818
Worldwide gross (inflation-adjusted): $192,517,633
Worldwide gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 721
Worldwide tickets sold (est.): 20,994,289
US/Canada gross: $59,031,057
US/Canada gross (inflation-adjusted): $112,675,265
US/Canada gross ranking (inflation-adjusted): 666
US/Canada opening weekend: $12,501,586
US/Canada opening weekend (inflation-adjusted): $23,862,346
US/Canada opening weekend ranking (inflation-adjusted): 566
Budget and Earnings Details
Production budget (est.): $46,000,000
Production budget (inflation-adjusted): $87,802,293
Production budget ranking: 471
Marketing and distribution budget (inflation-adjusted est.): $47,281,535
Box office net earnings to date (inflation-adjusted est.): $57,433,805
ROI to date (est.): 43%
ROI ranking: 1,188
Meg Ryan – Captain Karen Emma Walden
Lou Diamond Phillips – Sgt. Monfriez
Michael Moriarty – Brigadier General Hershberg
Bronson Pinchot – Bruno
Seth Gilliam – Altameyer
Director(s)
Edward Zwick
Writer(s)
Patrick Sheane Duncan
Producer(s)
John Davis, David T. Friendly, Joseph Singer
Film Festivals
Awards & Nominations
9 wins & 7 nominations
Academy Awards
All Critics (56) | Top Critics (20) | Fresh (48) | Rotten (8)
What emerges may not be quite as cut-and-dried as the movie’s structure sometimes implies.
June 14, 2022
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
TOP CRITIC
Washington, subtle, moving and charismatic, anchors the movie…Zwick’s movie is solid, honorable and well crafted, but when all the veils have dropped and the mysteries solved, it feels tidier and more melodramatic than it promised.
February 27, 2018
David Ansen
Newsweek
TOP CRITIC
September 7, 2011 | Rating: B+
Owen Gleiberman
Entertainment Weekly
TOP CRITIC
A carefully conceived, dramatically honorable picture that treats its subject with clarity and intelligence, especially by contemporary standards.
July 22, 2008
Variety Staff
Variety
TOP CRITIC
Despite its underlying predictability, Courage Under Fire manages warmth, intelligence and a healthy share of surprises.
August 30, 2004 | Rating: 3/4
Janet Maslin
New York Times
TOP CRITIC
I wasn’t particularly moved or riveted with suspense.
September 11, 2002
Desson Thomson
Washington Post
TOP CRITIC
If a woman in command has wounded soldiers that need protecting from enemy forces, and her maternal instinct kicks in-look out.
August 5, 2021 | Rating: 4/5
Mark Jackson
Epoch Times
Military drama deploys plenty of violence, swearing.
September 14, 2010 | Rating: 3/5
Charles Cassady
Common Sense Media
Denzel Washington gives as fine a performance as I have seen him give.
April 9, 2005 | Rating: A-
Robin Clifford
Reeling Reviews
A provocative film with Oscar caliber performances. (published 7-19-96)
December 28, 2004 | Rating: A
Steve Crum
Kansas City Kansan
Denzel Washington reinforces his image as a serious leading man who dominates a film with his quiet intensity and aura of introspection.
June 22, 2004 | Rating: 3.5/4
Judith Egerton
Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY)
Underrated war flick with a surprisingly effective performance by Meg Ryan
April 2, 2004 | Rating: 4/5
Jon Niccum
Lawrence Journal-World…
Plot
The pilot of a rescue copter, Captain Karen Walden, died shortly before her helicopter crew was rescued after it crashed in Desert Storm. It first appears that she made a spectacular rescue of a downed helicopter crew, then held her own crew together to fight off the Iraqis after her copter crashed. Lt. Colonel Serling, who is struggling with his own demons from Desert Storm, is assigned to investigate her worthiness for the Medal of Honor. But some conflicting accounts, from her crew and soldiers in the area, cause him to question whether she deserves it.
Trivia
Goofs / Tidbits
No goofy or funny or odd comments were found in the Fresh Kernels database for Courage Under Fire.
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